AnnDee4444
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
As most are aware, the OEM steel bumper leaves much to be desired when it comes to strength. I am satisfied with the way the OEM bumper looks, and don't want to change to an aftermarket rear bumper. Please be aware that this is not the cheapest route, and that ultimate strength was not my final goal. I really don't want to discuss any opinions on why I should get rid of this bumper or the costs associated with doing this, but welcome any comments on how to improve my setup with the stock steel bumper.
The steel bumper itself is actually fairly strong, but it is how it is attached to the frame that allows for deflection. This deflection is known to push up into body, causing sheet metal and paint damage. The issue is most obvious at the corners, as the bumper can be moved by leaning on it with your bodyweight.
1. The first modification was Maximus-3's rear tow loops. The idea here was to scrape these before the bumper, and I can say that I have definitely dragged these across a few rocks. While they don't look exactly stock, they are close enough for me and would fool most non-jeep people. It's worth noting that these don't reduce the departure angle much more than the OEM hitch.
2. Part two is Adventure Rack Systems (ARS) by MetalCloak's rear brackets, which are produced for their Rocklander Rack System.This is not a kit that is available online yet and I had to call to get it ordered. Edit: This is now available as a kit here. These brackets are also not specifically made for protecting the body/bumper contact, but I've found that it's definitely a step in the right direction. I'm not sure how much load these can take, but ARS says the entire rack system can hold 350 pounds of dynamic load, or 800 pounds of static load (both which include the rack itself).
These brackets are much thicker than the OEM brackets they replace, and are a two piece design which ties the bumper mounting points together. The inner bracket operates in shear, and any movement will be from the short OEM "L" bracket attached to the frame.Installation instructions start on page 19. Better instructions located here
Note that this is the incorrect larger bracket shown below. ARS shipped the wrong one, but their awesome customer service got me the correct bracket above. The black bracket on the left side is what the rack would normally mount to and not used in my application.
Stock Bracket:
Not-so scientific results... check the fender gap before when jacking up the rear:
With the ARS brackets the bumper moved less than 1/8" on the same test. Note that only one side is installed in this photo, and I suspect it will get even less deflection when both sides are completed.
The steel bumper itself is actually fairly strong, but it is how it is attached to the frame that allows for deflection. This deflection is known to push up into body, causing sheet metal and paint damage. The issue is most obvious at the corners, as the bumper can be moved by leaning on it with your bodyweight.
1. The first modification was Maximus-3's rear tow loops. The idea here was to scrape these before the bumper, and I can say that I have definitely dragged these across a few rocks. While they don't look exactly stock, they are close enough for me and would fool most non-jeep people. It's worth noting that these don't reduce the departure angle much more than the OEM hitch.
2. Part two is Adventure Rack Systems (ARS) by MetalCloak's rear brackets, which are produced for their Rocklander Rack System.
These brackets are much thicker than the OEM brackets they replace, and are a two piece design which ties the bumper mounting points together. The inner bracket operates in shear, and any movement will be from the short OEM "L" bracket attached to the frame.
Note that this is the incorrect larger bracket shown below. ARS shipped the wrong one, but their awesome customer service got me the correct bracket above. The black bracket on the left side is what the rack would normally mount to and not used in my application.
Stock Bracket:
Not-so scientific results... check the fender gap before when jacking up the rear:
With the ARS brackets the bumper moved less than 1/8" on the same test. Note that only one side is installed in this photo, and I suspect it will get even less deflection when both sides are completed.
Sponsored
Last edited:
